Scotland the Brave

The Most Ancient and Noble Order of the Thistle

Whatever its origins, the thistle has been an important Scottish symbol for more than 500 years. Perhaps its first recognisable use was on silver coins issued in 1470.

In addition, Scotland's premier Order of Chivalry, established in 1687, is “The Most Ancient and Noble Order of the Thistle” and its members wear a collar chain whose links are made of golden thistles. The Knights and Ladies of the Thistle also wear a breast star which bears the thistle emblem and a latin motto: “Nemo Me Impune Lacessit” - 'no-one provokes me with impunity'.

The thistle

How is it that such a proud people as the Scots should choose such a humble weed as its national symbol? There is a legend that relates how a sleeping party of Scots warriors were almost attacked by an invading band of Vikings and were only saved when one of the attackers trod on a wild thistle with his bare feet. His cries raised the alarm and the roused Scots duly defeated the Danes. In gratitude, the plant became known as the Guardian Thistle and was adopted as the symbol of Scotland.

The Union Flag or Union Jack

The "Jack" part of the name may have come from the name of King James, who acceded to the thrones of both England -as James I- and Scotland -as James VI-, upon the death of Elizabeth I of England, who had died unmarried and without descent. From 1801, in order to symbolise the union of the Kingdom of Great Britain with the Kingdom of Ireland, a new design, which included the St Patrick's Cross, was adopted for the flag.

A white border was added around the red cross for reasons of heraldry. (The rules of heraldry demand that two colours must never touch each other.) The cross of St. Patrick was inserted so the position given to St. Andrew's Cross in one quarter was the same as that given to the Irish one in the diagonally opposite quarter; in heraldry this is known as "counterchanging". The British flag is not symmetrical because of the counterchange.

The Welsh dragon does not appear on the flag because when the first Union Flag was created in 1606, Wales was already united with England as a Principality.

The Saltire as part of the Union Flag or “Union Jack”.

The Saltire

The Scottish national flag is a white-on-blue Saltire (i.e. a diagonal cross on a coloured background) and it derives from the shape of the cross on which St Andrew was crucified.

St Andrew was brother of St Peter, the first Pope, and according to tradition he was bound (not nailed) to a Latin cross of the kind on which Jesus is said to have been crucified, yet in the form called “crux decussata” (X-shaped cross, or "Saltire"), supposedly at his own request, as he deemed himself unworthy to be crucified on the same type of cross as Jesus had been.

November 30th is his feast day.

The legend surrounding Scotland's association with the Saint Andrew's Cross dates from a 9th century battle where Óengus II , King of Alba, led a combined force of Picts and Scots to victory over the Angles and Saxons led by Æthelstan. The legend states that whilst engaged in prayer on the eve of battle, Óengus vowed that if granted victory he would appoint Saint Andrew as the Patron Saint of Scotland. On the morning of battle white clouds forming an X shape in the sky were said to have appeared. Óengus and his combined force, emboldened by this apparent divine intervention, were victorious despite being inferior in terms of numbers.

Having interpreted the cloud phenomenon as representing the “crux decussata” upon which Saint Andrew was crucified, Óengus honoured his pre-battle pledge and duly appointed Saint Andrew as the Patron Saint of Scotland. The white saltire set against a celestial blue background is said to have been adopted as the design of the flag of Scotland on the basis of this legend.

Footwear: Ghillies, hose, garters, flashes

Ghillies, or Ghillie Brogues, are a modern development of the old shoes used by highlanders. These shoes are laced through leather tangs and do not have the tongue which covers the bridge of the foot in normal shoes. The high lacing helped prevent the shoe from being sucked off by mud.

Kilt hose are long stockings normally worn knee-high with the upper part of the hose folded back down just below the knee. They are available in a variety of solid colours so as to match any tartan colour. They can also be found in diced patterns. The most common colour of hose however, is cream, the colour of unbleached wool.

Garters are elastic straps worn inside the cuff of the hose to hold them in place. The flashes are short strips of fabric hanging from the garter, mostly matching the tartan.

Sghian dubh and kilt pin

The sgian-dubh is a small, singled-edged knife worn as part of traditional Scottish Highland outfit. It is worn tucked into the top of the hose with only the upper portion of the hilt visible. The sgian-dubh is normally worn on the right leg, but can also be worn on the left, depending on whether the wearer is right or left-handed.

The kilt pin is a piece of jewellery that is usually worn on the lower corner of the outer apron of a kilt. Its function is to prevent the apron blowing open, by adding weight. It should never be pinned through both aprons, since this would result in distorting the proper hang and action of the kilt and at worst could result in tearing the kilt.